The modulation of SOCS gene expression is shown to be cytokine and cell type dependent. While interferon-gamma up-regulates the expression of all the three SOCS genes in both the fibroid RTG-2 and the monocyte/macrophage RTS-11 cell lines, interleukin-1 beta only up-regulates SOCS gene expression in the

RTG-2 cell line, with little, if any, effect in the RTS-11 cell line. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“In a previous paper, the biological activity of a 216-amino acid recombinant truncated form of the soybean 7S globulin alpha’ subunit, known to control cholesterol and triglyceride homeostasis, was described. In this work, a shorter version of the polypeptide Selleckchem ML323 chain, spanning 142 amino acid residues from the N-terminus and thus exclusively including the so-called extension region, was cloned and overexpressed in Pichia pastoris. The yield of the recombinant polypeptide, which was termed alpha’E. was 8-fold greater than the previous truncated version. The alpha’E

polypeptide was purified by simple conventional biochemical techniques to make it available for biological assays. Human hepatoma cell lines (Hep G2) were used to monitor the uptake and degradation of labeled low-density lipoproteins (LDL), according to an established procedure. The LDL uptake (+86%) and degradation (+94%) by cells tested at the highest alpha’E dose (2 mu M) were similar to those Anti-cancer Compound Library solubility dmso found in cells incubated selleck with 1 mu M simvastatin, a potent inhibitor of cholesterol biosynthesis. Additionally, the cell response to alpha’E was found to be dose-dependent. The present findings strongly suggest that this recombinant polypeptide, or a fragment thereof, is the molecular determinant for cholesterol homeostasis and open new prospects for understanding the mechanism involved in this biological response, as a gateway to its utilization in lipid-lowering therapies. (C) 2011 Elsevier

Inc. All rights reserved.”
“A novel chelated ruthenium-based metathesis catalyst bearing an N-2,6-diisopropylphenyl group is reported and displays near-perfect selectivity for the Z-olefin (>95%), as well as unparalleled TONs of up to 7400, in a variety of homodimerization and industrially relevant metathesis reactions. This derivative and other new catalytically active species were synthesized using an improved method employing sodium carboxylates to induce the salt metathesis and C-H activation of these chelated complexes. All of these new ruthenium-based catalysts are highly Z-selective in the homodimerization of terminal olefins.”
“Microstructure in two diblock methacrylic azo polymers and in some of their blends with PMMA of different molecular weights as well as their photoinduced anisotropy have been investigated. The block copolymers have similar structure but different azo content and degree of polymerization.